Nice to meet you (PS: I'm still here)
by Loey
Summary: Before Max back in time and save William, she makes a journey on his album of photographs and a photo in particular reminds him a sweet and painful memory of her savior pirate
1. Leave me alone

\- _"Why … why things had to stay like this?"_ -

The same question ran through my mind as he ran down the hall from my bedroom. I could not hear anything except the melancholy voice of Juliet coming from Dana's room, but now seemed more like muffled tinnitus than a normal dialogue, what they said? I do not know … maybe something to do with Victoria or else Kate … please she's okay in the hospital …

But the two are just the tip of the iceberg, right? the events of these last 3 days was something surreal and still i could not find a way to put all the pieces of this puzzle

But none of this has so much importance now, the only thing that torments my head right now has a name and it is called Chloe Price … Chloe … I knew she would go react in the worst possible way if I showed you the truth. ..but …

 _"Chloe, you can not continue to blame me and the world for everything wrong in your life, this is unfair!"_

 _"I have to blame someone, otherwise it is all my fault, fuck!"_

 _"That's no one's fault, bad things happen, that's what it means to live!"_

Okay, nothing that happened was something to blame someone, life is made of this, hits and misses, good times and bad, the only thing that is within our reach is to decide whether we will rise or to stay on the ground when something bad happens, I had to learn it from an early age… Chloe … you're not the only one who has been hurt in life … I just wanted you to understand …

\- … ax? Max what happened? -

Comes out of my thoughts with the voice of Dana. Both she and Juliet were sitting on Dana's sofa, they looked at me confused, I looked around and realized I was at the door of his room … God … how did I get here?

\- Oh … nothing … just came to know if you were okay …- What convincing excuse Maxine

\- I'm fine … I mean … better than yesterday for sure … I'm still processing all that aconteceu- she said putting a hand on his forehead

\- This has been the weirdest week ever seen- Juliet spoke for the first time since I arrived

\- You are not alone, Juliet - I answered dryly and staring at the floor as i walked out the door

\- Hey! Max! wait …! - I heard the sound of footsteps and felt a grip on my wrist, I looked back and saw Dana holding him as she looked me worried

\- Are you sure that was it? you seem a bit …-

\- I'm fine Dana, really, I'm just a little tired … please … I need to be alone - I interrupted with a thin line of voice as my vision was blurry … no … anything but that … I can not cry in front of her!

\- Max, you know you can trust me-

\- I SAID I WANT TO BE ALONE! - screamed pulling my arm and holding the crying

\- I see … sorry …- her voice showed grief but in return she let go of my wrist

I ran towards the end of the corridor without letting her finish the sentence, or view her reaction, but I could hear the door to her room shut and murmurs of consolation of Juliet …sorry Dana just do not want to see anyone else today…

* * *

Arriving at the end of the hall, I ran into the door of my room and quickly entered and I locked the door from inside the room. I took a deep breath and looked around, i saw Nathan's threat on the wall, dirty photos, Kate's rabbit, books about time travel and Lisa my little plant

It was then that I realized the hot liquid coming down in my face … no … can not…

\- SHITTTTT!- I screamed with tears coming down at a higher intensity and my legs weakening until to fall kneeling on the floor

\- S-shit…- i whispered between sobs as she hugged my knees. Normally, i have the world's careful with other people's belongings but now I don't mind dirtying Rachel's clothes, just want to cry and let my pain go away

 _"Hey, Max does not cry, that stupid bully is gone …"_

 _"Do not worry … your father already come soon … I'll wait here with you"_

 _"See you tomorrow in class!"_

 _"My name? My name is Chloe Price"_

 _"Maxine? Um … I'd better call you Max! Super Max!"_

 _"I'm not going anywhere! You're my best friend!"_

 _"You are strange … but I like you!"_

I like you…I like you…I like you

I quickly shake my head trying to muffle her voice of my memories while I wipe my tears with his sleeve plaid shirt. I stood wiping the dust from the torn pants and went toward my nightstand drawer, opened it and saw again the album of photos, i picked it up and sat on the bedI spent the pages one by one, the first few of the line were recent, for as long as I lived in Seattle. Was my friends and I in a egyptian statue,the game of hockey, my father and I at the observatory, but, for the most beautiful and interesting they were, these photos are empty, them lack a "something more" and that "something more" is my most precious treasure I abandoned long ago

Then came the pages of the oldest line, from 2002 until 2008, the first few was of the time that was still suffering bullying. At that time I had no desire to go to school, practically running away from everyone and everything, while hiding in my protective shell, I did not know what was to have friends, did not know what was kindness, I endured the temper tantrums and humiliation in silence by the fact of always being blackmailed, my nightmares were frequent,i was talking to the walls of my room by my fear of being alone,My only friends were an old camera and a teddy Bear, my life was morbid and lonely…until a pirate golden-haired save me

I recalled those memories with a tear but quickly i wiped it, I soon realized a picture in particular … it was the day when Chloe spoke to me the first time …

\- Chloe …- I said running a finger lightly on the aged photo

\- How can I save you? -


	2. Breakfast in family

_**October 2002: Former bedroom of Max - 7:10 a.m**_

 _The sun gently manifested itself that autumn morning, its rays passed smoothly through the curtains, illuminating the quiet and lonely room. A few seconds later_  
 _came the irritating sound of an alarm clock, waking the little Max. She yawned and rubbed his eyes still clutching the teddy bear managed to turn off the alarm_

 _"Good morning the Captain", Max whispered quietly as she stroked the head of the toy with a rueful smile_

 _She watched his small room, saw some pictures of animals and landscapes of Arcadia Bay in picture frames in two shelves next the door, children's books with various fables among them his favorites were "the dog and the fox" and " The Ugly Duckling, "three old cameras that his father gave him a gift on your 5 Year Anniversary, wooden carts and simple dolls stored in his wooden chest, a wardrobe and a nightstand. That environment could be considered somewhat "dead" for a girl of 7 years for its simple appearance and shortage of life, but to Max, that room was one of their refuges, at least during the day, because at night it was almost his arrest where no one could hear her cry, especially during their night terror attacks that would not have anyone to see her apart from the Captain_

 _After observing the environment, Max sadly recalled that today was Monday, so, the beginning of yet another hellish week of school. As a result, she lay down again pulling the bed sheets over his head refusing to get out of there until you hear the creak of the door_

 _"Maxine wake up, get ready it's almost time to go to school" His mother announced as she entered_

 _She looked at the bed and saw his little daughter curled up in bed clutching the blanket over half of his face leaving only blue eyes staring at an almost pleading way, ready, it was not necessary to say any more, she knew what her look meant_

 _"Not Maxine, you will not get at home, enough is enough these two years that her father and I had to keep her away from school"_

 _"But mommy..." Max begged_

 _"Maxine Caulfield!" The young woman answered in firm tone_

 _The girl stopped and looked at his hands, in the same second, tears began to fall under them. His mother regretted it the instant she saw her daughter start crying, she walked towards the bed and sat on the edge, then she bent down to wipe the tears running down his face in an attempt to calm her_

 _"Shh ... do not cry my little Maxis ... I know you do not like it but there is no other way ... you do not have guilt ...I took your freedom for a long time and now look what resulted..." the woman commented in a mix of emotions, she knew, the extreme shyness that her little daughter had acquired was in parts by the incident three years ago and too for its trauma of this event that made her protect Maxine too much and through the fault that, your firstborn has a worrying future..._

 _Max looked at his mother sniffling nose and with cheeks freckled flushed, she embraced the most tightly as possible giving way to the young Caulfield mess up your hair lovingly_

 _"I can not let you miss class, but I promise that your father and I will pick you up at the first sign of trouble to happen today, that's fine?"she asked looking at her blue eyes_

 _Max made positive nod, his mother smiled and thus undid the hug, kissed his cheek and left the room with sigh of relief and a heavy heart_

* * *

 ** _Kitchen 7:30 a.m_**

 _Max came down the stairs toward the kitchen and there she saw his mother preparing coffee and his father reading the newspaper as he smoothed his chin shaved_

 _"See, it is not my future photographer?" the man said with a loving smile as he left the newspaper on the table to give him a hug_

 _Max hung a backpack strap in the chair and went towards his father to hug him_

 _"Every day that passes you becomes more and more like your mother, inherited hers beauty" he observed of a mischievous way glancing at his wife at the stove_

 _"Thanks daddy ..." Max replied with a slight smile shy and cheeks glowing with shame_

 _"Flirting me in front of our daughter will not guarantee you a larger piece of bancon dear", the woman said defiantly but ashamed on the inside_

 _"I can not even praise the two women I love most?" he asked sweetly and with a look shy_

 _The woman turned off the stove, took a frying pan with a cloth and puts food on the table, to then comment_

 _"Listen to your mother's advice Maxine, when you're a teenager, never date a guy shy and sweet, they are pretended and think more in panties than bad boys"_

 _"Jessica! do not say a thing like that to Maxine, she will create a wrong concept for boys!"_

 _"Unfortunately it was this "concept" that you gave me Otto or think I forgot about high school then?"_

 _Max laughed at his parents as she took the first piece of bacon and eggs, they were like cat and dog, they loved to flirt while they fought, his mother appeared to be tough, popular and oblivious to the flirtations of his father but in fact she loved him so much that gave up dating that had no future with a football captain because her realized that the love of his life was the shy kid who lived sending you little letters of love and was the target of bullies who poked your head in the toilet_

 _"It seems that opposites attract ..."_

 _Max smiled at the thought as she picked up another bite of eggs, maybe she really has a chance ... and if the blonde girl fanatic to pirates that she saw on the first day of school and in her dream really feel the same for her? she will become his friend?_

 _"Not even Maxine, you're already in trouble up to his neck because of her ... but ..."_

 _Max quietly took a folded paper out of his backpack's pocket, unfolded it and saw the photograph he took of the girl the same day he saw her for the first time_

 _"How a simple picture could put me in this mess?" ,Max whispered desperately as she finished your breakfast and was preparing to go to school_


End file.
